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Cherries crowned champions after victory over Bristol Rovers

AFC Bournemouth made it 18 wins from 18 games in the league to clinch the title in front of a bumper crowd of 7,076 people at Dean Court.

They led 1-0 at half time after a Jenna Markham strike ten minutes for the break, before Katie James doubled the Cherries advantage with 22 minutes to play.

And the hosts saw out the victory to be crowned champions with four games left to play.

Steve Cuss made one change from the side which beat Moneyfields in midweek, Helen Bleazard coming into the starting XI as Charlotte Harris dropped to the bench.

_(Image: Richard Crease)_ The Cherries got the game underway and exerted some early pressure, with much of the opening exchanges being played in the Rovers half.

Molly Barron-Clark saw a shot deflected behind from distance, before Jenna Markham fired wide and Katie James saw a powerful effort caught by Georgina Hunt in the Rovers net.

Rovers had a couple of early opportunities themselves, one coming from a heart-in-mouth moment for Cherries keeper Erin Foley as her clearance was half-blocked, but the loose ball didn’t fall for the visitors.

Meg Jarvis, one of the league’s most potent strikers this season, went close shortly after, but she was unable to hit the target from close range after Daisy Ackerman’s cross from the left.

Ackerman tested Foley with a shot from distance, but the effort was comfortably caught by the 19-year-old.

_(Image: Richard Crease)_ Charlotte Buxton shot over the bar after a corner fell to her, before the visitors went close to opening the scoring.

Moments after the Buxton effort, Chloe Bassett struck the post with a shot from the right of the box, and Ackerman put the follow up wide after 17 minutes.

Foley was called into action as Jarvis looked to latch onto a ball over the top, the keeper racing out to clear, before Bassett tried to catch her off her line but her shot went over the bar.

The Cherries were next to hit the upright, a Barron-Clark corner floating all the way over to the far post, before Gemma McGuinness’s follow up header was saved.

Jarvis shot wide for Rovers, before McGuinness saw a shot caught by Hunt.

The Cherries took the lead with 35 minutes on the clock.

_(Image: Richard Crease)_ Rovers spurned a good three-on-two opportunity and Bournemouth recycled, the ball played over the top for Markham to chase after it.

And the Cherries striker was on hand to finish under Hunt after Bassett’s header was left short for her keeper to give the hosts the advantage.

James fired over the bar from a free kick via a deflection, before Erin Bloomfield shot high and wide in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

Ellie Strippel replaced Chloe Gilroy at the break, and Markham looked to threaten the Rovers defence in the early stages of the second period.

The striker first cut the ball back from the right but Bloomfield couldn’t get a shot off, before Markham saw a shot go wide after showing good to feet to create space to shoot.

_(Image: Richard Crease)_ The Cherries had the ball in the back of the net after 51 minutes, but Markham was ruled to be offside before she finished.

Skipper Abby Jones was replaced by Kelci Bowers after 63 minutes, before Bloomfield came off for Ali Hall.

The Cherries doubled their advantage in the 68th minute.

It was brilliant work from substitute Strippel on the left wing to turn and create space to cross, her floated ball into the far post was right on the money for James to tap home.

Barron-Clark curled a free kick over the bar, before Ackerman shot wide for the visitors.

_(Image: Richard Crease)_ Charlotte Harris replaced McGuinness for the hosts, and Strippel went close to extending the Cherries advantage, striking the post after cutting in from the left.

Foley caught from an Abi Todd strike from outside the box, before Markham was replaced by Eloise Hall for the hosts.

And, after five added minutes, the final whistle went and the Cherries were crowned National League Division One South West champions.

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